NEVC wins first district championship since '98

Nevada Daily Mail
The Northeast Vernon County Knights hammered the Ballard Bulldogs 16-3 in five innings Monday evening in Walker, clinching the Class 1 District 13 baseball championship, its first since 1998.
The Knights (8-7) were powered by senior southpaw Taylor Highfill, who struck out 11 in five innings of work.

"I feel like one of the hardest things to do is come out when you're the favorite and take care of business," NEVC coach Brian Pommier said.
Highfill's only hiccup came in the top of the first inning, where he had control issues as he loaded the bases and walked in a run. Followed by a hit-by-pitch allowing a second run to cross the plate. Highfill was able to avoid further damage, ending the inning on a strike out, as Ballard left the bases loaded.
Knight's third baseman Jayce Vantellman led off the bottom of the first inning with a single to right field. Vantellman was followed in the order by senior catcher Drue Hoagland, who reached base on an infield error. Three-hole hitter Ty Davis grounded into a fielder choice scoring Vantellman to put NEVC on the board as they trailed 2-1.
Highfill, batting cleanup, reached on Ballard's second infield error of the inning, scoring Hoagland to even the score at 2-2.
Later in the inning, with Highfill on third base, and Mitchell Longstreth on first courtesy of a walk, Jackson Coleman blasted a double into deep left-center field, scoring Highfill and Longstreth to put the Knights in front 4-2.
"Getting the four runs in the first inning was big, getting our confidence up," Pommier said.
In the bottom of the second, Vantellman laced a one-out single into right-center field, and later stole second. Hoagland followed in the order with a line drive into center field, scoring Vantellman from second to give the Knights a 5-2 lead.
Still in the bottom of the second, Longstreth singled to left-center field scoring Davis and Hoagland as the Knights grabbed a 7-2 lead.
NEVC tacked on four runs in the bottom of the third inning to go up 11-2, as Cordell Maus joined the hit parade with a 2-RBI single to center field.
"Once we got the bats rolling, Taylor got dialed in (on the mound)," Pommier said.
After Ballard managed to get a run across the plate in the top of the fourth, NEVC responded with five runs in the bottom half of the inning, taking a 16-3 lead.
Pommier said that he was impressed his team played so well after a nearly two-week layoff. Pommier also added that he was pleased with the Knights district draw.
"When we saw the district (pairings), we knew that this was one we could obviously come out and win," he said. "We've got a great group of kids, and I would have been confident going into any (district). But this was a good district for us."
The Knights needed only one victory to claim the championship, as District 13 fielded only three teams, with NEVC as the top-seed, drawing a bye into the championship game.
"That being said, they still can't take that trophy away," Pommier said.